Thought we’d have some fun and create a T Shirt for all those who would like to own a Leica M9 but cannot afford it (or would rather spend the money somewhere else). We have a Man or Woman T Shirt, white with a steel-grey M9 printed at just below chest height, where a camera would naturally hang from a shoulder strap. It looks good if you just pretend you’re holding it in one hand. Makes a great gag gift, though beware it might cause your spouse’s heart to stop when s/he hears, “Honey, I bought a Leica!” Or use it as a hint for what you’d really like to receive this Holiday Season.

Tutorials on how to add a film grain effect into your photos.

With all the discussions we have about digital cameras producing too much noise at high ISOs, some readers may be surprised to learn that the right kind of noise may not be a bad thing in a photo.

In fact, high ISO film grain (especially in B&W) has a charming effect all its own. In the following tutorials, the authors show how to add that film grain effect.

Film Grain Effect Tutorials:
- Film Grain Effect in Photoshop [video]
- Natural Film Grain using Photoshop
- Realistic Film Grain in Photoshop [step-by-step tutorial]
- Film Grain Effect in Flash [video]
- How to create a Film Grain effect in Flash

Luminous Landscape has published a 35 min. video interview with Leica’s head of optical development, Peter Karbe.

Highlights:
- The new lenses for the Leica S2 outresolve the sensor currently used in the S2, and will also outresolve the next generation sensor.
- A challenge to add auto focus to the lenses. No ultrasonic motor for the moment. Where there is a tradeoff between speed and durability, Leica leans toward durability.
- Weather sealing refers to windy rainy conditions. Personally tested it in -10 degrees Celsius Wintery conditions.
- Longest lens is 350mm.
- 120mm macro design based on APO 100, but contains floating element.
- Great bokeh in all lenses.

“Image quality is comparable with the very best that compact cameras can offer.”

TrustedReviews has posted their review of the Ricoh GR Digital III [QuickPrice Check], a digital camera that is “a genuine pleasure to use“with its 10MP resolution (1/1.7-in. CCD), Sensor-shift Image Stabilization, 28 (equiv.) F1.9 fixed lens, 3.0-in. LCD (920K dots), PASM, Pixel output interpolation algorithm to expand dynamic range by up to +1 EV equivalent, Dynamic range double shot, Multi-pattern auto white balance, Fast AF in low-light situations, Full Press Snap at set focal distance, Pre-AF, AE/AF target shift, Aspect ratio 1:1 square format mode, WB Bracketing, Color Bracketing, Electronic level, and Movie 640×480 @ 30fps.

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“D-Range Priority [...] is very effective at retaining clipped highlights in our outdoor portrait shot.”

Imaging Resource has posted their review of the Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR [Specs], a 12MP resolution (1/1.6-in. Super CCD EXR) compact digital camera which allows you to optimize the image capture according to the scene: High Resolution, Wide Dynamic Range or High Sensitivity & Low Noise. The F200EXR features sensor-shift image stabilization, a 5x wide-angle optical zoom (28-140mm equiv.), a 3.0-in. LCD (230K dots) and Movie 640×480 @ 30fps.

Editor’s note: Since Imaging Resource returns an overall negative review of the Fujifilm F200EXR (because its image quality “doesn’t quite measure up, and its difficult personality“), we encourage you to read a second (differing) opinion from the following review sites:
- Fujifilm F200EXR Review @ DPReview
- Fujifilm F200EXR Review @ DCRP (dcresource)
- Fujifilm F200EXR Review @ PhotographyBLOG
- Fujifilm F200EXR Review @ TrustedReviews
- Fujifilm F200EXR Review @ LetsGoDigital
- Fujifilm F200EXR Review @ Photoxels

“A viable contender in this crowded class.”

DigitalCameraReview has posted their review of the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS [Specs], a compact ultra zoom digital camera with "good image and color quality" and featuring 12.1MP resolution (1/2.3-in. CCD), 20x wide-angle optical zoom (28-560mm equiv.), optical image stabilization, 2.5-in. LCD (230K dots), PASM modes, Smart AUTO, Scene Modes, and HD movie (1280×720) @ 30fps.

Luminous Landscape has published a 70 min. interview with Leica M9′s Product Manager, Stephan Daniel. Sure, you know all the specs already by now, but if you want to know WHY Leica did what they did in the M9, listen to the interview (which, by the way was shot with a Panasonic GH1). It’s a long interview and there is no Fast Forward, so if you X out of the browser, you’ll have to listen to it all over again.

Highlights:
- Continuing cooperation with Panasonic for compact cameras only — not for Micro Four Thirds system cameras. So, no Leica MFT cameras.
- Looking to add Live View in next generations of Leica system cameras.
- Articulated LCDs — someone asked the question, someone else interrupted before a proper answer could be given.
- No Leica R DSLR.
- Smaller digital M rangefinder (aka digital CL) – no, don’t want to compete with Leica M8 used market.
- Leica consistently sells 10-12,000 M system cameras (digital and, surprisingly, film — mostly to the Asia market) a year.
- Send a Leica M camera for repair, and you get a one-year warranty not just on the repair, but on the entire camera (has been the case forever).
- New shutter release soft mode: first point is light meter on, second point is AE lock, and that’s where the shutter release occurs instead of having to press all the way down (which can introduce camera shake).
- Unhappy with the time lag to zoom a picture on the LCD after it is taken. Still working on it and should come as a firmware update later.

Interesting firmware update from Olympus for the E-P1 and kit lenses to address complaints about the AF slowness.

Olympus E-P1 Firmware Download